Huatulco travel guide

East of Pochutla (50 km, one hour), and 112 km west of Salina Cruz on the coast road is Huatulco, a meticulously engineered and environmentally aware resort surrounded by 34,000 ha of forest reserve and nine splendid bays (where pirate ships used to shelter). It offers golf, swimming pools, international and Mexican cuisine, nightlife, beaches, water sports, excursions into the forest and exploration of archaeological sites. The final product is a safe, clean, efficient, if somewhat sanitised international vacation resort, which despite its lovely setting, hasn’t entirely taken off. The bays are lined with grand schemes, that have evidently been left mid-building, adding a few eyesores to the otherwise stunning landscape. In high season, including Holy Week, July to August and November to March, Huatulco is busy, with regular charter flights from the USA and Canada. During these peak times prices can as much as double. The rest of the year, there’s an altogether quieter feel, although frequent cruise ships add bursts of frenzied activity on certain days of the week.

The Sedetur tourist office (Blv Benito Juárez, Tangolunda, T958-581 0176, sedetur6@ oaxaca.gob.mx) near the golf course, is helpful and informative. An information booth (Parque Central) La Crucecita, run by the excellent, amiable and knowledgeable Señor Cipriano, is a handy source of information. A useful website is http://www.todohuatulco.com/ bahias-huatulco.html.

The Huatulco complex encompasses several interconnected towns and development areas and there are many taxis, some of which operate as colectivos. Prices for journeys can be found on signs at the main plaza in La Crucecita. Tangolunda (meaning ‘beautiful woman’ in Zapotec), on the bay of the same name and also known as the Zona Hotelera, is set aside for large luxury hotels and resorts; it also has the golf course and the most expensive restaurants, souvenir shops and nightlife. Chahué, on the next bay west, where development only began in 1999, has a town park with spa and beach club, a marina and a few hotels. Further west (6 km from Tangolunda) is Santa Cruz Huatulco, once an ancient Zapotec settlement and Mexico’s most important Pacific port during the 16th century. It has the marina where tour boats leave for excursions, as well as facilities for visiting yachts and cruise ships, several upscale hotels, restaurants, shops and a few luxury homes. An attractive open-air chapel, the Capilla de la Santa Cruz, is by the beach.

La Crucecita, located 2 km inland, is the Huatulco complex, with housing for the area’s employees, bus stations, banks, a small market, shops, bars, plus the more economical hotels and restaurants. It also doubles as a Mexican town, which the tourists can visit; it’s more cosmetic by the manicured Plaza Principal, less so towards the highway. The old-looking but brand-new Templo de Guadalupe church stands on a small hill next to the plaza.

Huatulco’s coastline extends for almost 30 km between the Río Copalita to the east and the Río Coyula to the west. Hills covered in deciduous forest – very green during the rainy season (June to September), yellow and parched in the dry – sweep down to the sea. Nine turquoise bays with 36 golden beaches line the shore, some bays have road access while others can only be reached by sea....read more